In vertical power semiconductor devices such as power semiconductor diodes and MOSFETs (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors) a load current flows from a front side of a semiconductor die to the opposite rear side. Typically, a metallization layer on a rear side of power semiconductor devices is soldered onto a lead frame and wire bonds connect a metallization layer at the front side with further leads of a device package. One way to reduce the on-state or forward resistance of power semiconductor devices is to decrease the distance between the front side and the rear side of the semiconductor die. With decreasing thickness of the semiconductor die, processing of a semiconductor substrate, from which the thin semiconductor dies are obtained, gets more complicated as regards handling and dicing. In addition, handling of the separated thin semiconductor dies becomes more sophisticated.
There is a need for semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing that at least alleviate issues arising from introducing thin semiconductor substrates in semiconductor production processes.